Thursday, April 18, 2013

A Modern Day Parable - The Seed

THE SEED – author unknown

A successful businessman was growing old and knew it
was time to choose a successor to take over the business.

Instead of choosing one of his Directors or his
children, he decided to do something different. He called all the young
executives in his company together. He said, "It is time for me to step down and
choose the next CEO. I have decided to choose one of you."

The young executives were shocked, but the boss
continued. "I am going to give each one of you a SEED today - one very
special SEED.

I want you to plant the seed, water it, and come
back here one year from today with what you have grown from the seed I have
given you. I will then judge the plants that you bring, and the one I choose
will be the next CEO." One man, named Jim, was there that day and
he, like the others, received a seed. He went home and excitedly, told his wife
the story. She helped him get a pot, soil and compost and he planted the seed.

Everyday, he would water it and watch to see if it
had grown. After about three weeks, some of the other executives began to talk
about their seeds and the plants that were beginning to grow. Jim kept
checking his seed, but nothing ever grew. Three weeks, four weeks, five weeks
went by, still nothing. By now, others were talking about their plants,
but Jim didn't have a plant and he felt like a failure.

Six months went by -- still nothing in Jim's pot. He
just knew he had killed his seed. Everyone else had trees and tall plants, but
he had nothing. Jim didn't say anything to his colleagues, however. He just
kept watering and fertilizing the soil - He so wanted the seed to grow.

A year finally went by and all the young executives
of the company brought their plants to the CEO for inspection. Jim told his
wife that he wasn't going to take an empty pot. But she asked him to be honest
about what happened. Jim felt sick to his stomach, it was going to be the most
embarrassing moment of his life, but he knew his wife was right. He took his
empty pot to the boardroom. When Jim arrived, he was amazed at the variety of
plants grown by the other executives. They were beautiful -- in all shapes and
sizes.

Jim put his empty pot on the floor and many of his
colleagues laughed, a few felt sorry for him! When the CEO arrived; he
surveyed the room and greeted his young executives. Jim just tried to
hide in the back. "My, what great plants, trees, and flowers you have
grown," said the CEO. "Today one of you will be appointed the next
CEO!" All of a sudden, the CEO spotted Jim at the back of the room
with his empty pot. He ordered the Financial Director to bring him to the
front. Jim was terrified. He thought, "The CEO knows I'm a failure! Maybe
he will have me fired!"

When Jim got to the front, the CEO asked him what
had happened to his seed - Jim told him the story.

The CEO asked everyone to sit down except Jim. He
looked at Jim, and then announced to the young executives, "Behold your
next Chief Executive Officer! His name is Jim!"

Jim couldn't believe it. Jim couldn't even grow his
seed.

"How could he be the new CEO?" the others
said. Then the CEO said, "One year ago today, I gave everyone in this
room a seed. I told you to take the seed, plant it, water it, and bring it back
to me today. But I gave you all boiled seeds; they were dead - it was not
possible for them to grow. All of you, except Jim, have brought me trees
and plants and flowers. When you found that the seed would not grow, you
substituted another seed for the one I gave you. Jim was the only one with the courage and honesty to
bring me a pot with my seed in it. Therefore, he is the one who will be the new
Chief Executive Officer!"

If you plant honesty, you will reap trust

If you plant goodness, you will reap friends

If you plant humility, you will reap
greatness

If you plant perseverance, you will reap
contentment

If you plant consideration, you will reap
perspective

If you plant hard work, you will reap
success

If you plant forgiveness, you will reap
reconciliation

If you plant faith in God, you will reap a harvest

So, be careful what you plant now; it will determine
what you will reap later.

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I've always stated that I was amazed at those who decided to show up on Sunday morning to hear my conversation with God. Further, I also was constantly sharing that I was amazed at what God did with what he had to work with. This blog is simply the ongoing conversation between the Creator and the Created - a process that is far from over. It is my prayer that something might grow out of this dialogue both in you and in me. Thank you for taking the time to check in to see what I might have to share.

About Me

Married Margaret Sever (a 9th generation Floridian) in 1965. We have two daughters, two great sons-in-love, a beautiful granddaughter and a handsome grandson. Since 1968 I've been a United Methodist Pastor serving churches throughout Florida. Now retired, but serving as part-time pastor the Family of God United Methodist Church in Palmetto as well as a driver for American Cancer Society. Though I'm pastoring a church I am still available to preach whenever invited to do so at other events and/or churches. Margaret and I also serve as tour hosts for various trips through EO. Just contact us to discover the latest trip offerings.